Clement Lenglet’s future was a topic that persisted throughout the recently ended transfer window in FC Barcelona’s offices.
Although the French international accompanied the club to the United States for preseason, it was always obvious that Xavi Hernandez did not rely on him.
Sevilla, Saudi Arabia, and Tottenham Hotspur were a few of the teams interested in signing him.
But eventually, he signed a season-long loan agreement with Aston Villa, who would pay 75% of his wage.
.The tardy bid
A recent hot tip from MARCA claims that Barcelona recently received a formal bid from Al Nassr for the French defender.
The Saudi Arabian club was prepared to pay him the full amount of his salary as well as an additional €8 million for his services. Lenglet, however, declined to relocate to Arabia.
Barcelona did not put pressure on the center-back to accept the expensive contract due to his professional behavior and decency.
Moreover, Lenglet even cut his wage once to help Barcelona’s economic situation. As such, the club decided to respect his wishes and allow him to move to the Premier League, even if it was only on loan.
No place at Barcelona
Lenglet made a strong start to life at Barcelona after his initial move from Sevilla in 2018. However, his form fell off steeply in the coming seasons and pushed him away from action on the field.
Now, his relationship with Barcelona is at a point of no return. Even a very impressive stint in England will not be enough for the Frenchman to stake claim on a spot in Catalonia considering the depth of resources Xavi has at his disposal
In Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo, Barcelona have a strong core in central defence for the coming decade. Andreas Christensen and Inigo Martinez add substantial depth, while the talented Mikayil Faye is already knocking on the first team doors.
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